Chronic migraines

Your survival guide for chronic migraines

According to information published by the American Medical Association and the National Headache Foundation, a little bit more than 28,000,000 Americans suffer from migraines each and every single year.

Of those 28 million Americans, nearly 60% of them are women – and a quarter of all women that deal with migraines will deal with four or more each and every single month.

We’re talking about a serious health epidemic here, and one that is not nearly as well understood as the most of us would have hoped it to be. Unfortunately, anytime we are talking about the human brain, there’s a lot more that we don’t know about what’s going on behind the scenes when compared to what we do know.

Chronic migraines can contribute to a seriously decreased quality of life, with millions and millions of women learning this firsthand. To better understand exactly what you’re dealing with and up against, as well as what causes regular migraines – and what you can do personally to eliminate your risk factors significantly – you’ll want to pay close attention to inside information included below.

Understanding what chronic migraines are – and what they are not

The very first thing that you need to understand about the causes of chronic migraines (and especially frequent migraines) is that they aren’t the same thing as an “everyday” headache on steroids.

No, the migraine headaches are going to occur due to a variety of different risk factors (some of them that you can control and eliminate and some of them that you cannot), and they are almost always closely linked to more serious health conditions that need to be addressed ASAP.

Because these migraines so vigorously attack the brain (and the rest of the central nervous system, for that matter) they are not only incredibly painful – but they’re also tremendously debilitating as well.

It’s not uncommon at all for individuals that are dealing with regular migraines to feel as though their entire quality of life suffers, to the point where they have a difficult time just going through their daily activities.

On top of that, some individuals that suffer from more regular migraines have to contend with seriously debilitating conditions – especially when these migraines result in constricted blood flow, crippled blood vessels, or the release of brain chemicals and hormones designed specifically to combat the attacks.

These conditions can quickly spiral downhill, especially if the frequency of migraines isn’t slowed down radically.

This is obviously not the kind of sticky situation that you ever hope to find yourself in.

Why are people dealing with chronic migraines?

There are a variety of different reasons as to why people are dealing with regular and routine migraines (especially more than a month) and many of them are closely related to your own body’s biochemistry.

Women in particular are going to deal with wild hormonal swings pretty much every single day of their life, and numerous studies have suggested that regular migraines are closely linked to hormonal swings and shifts that cannot be otherwise accounted for.

This may suggest why women are almost 4 times as likely to have to deal with regular migraines than men, and why more than 60% of all individuals dealing with migraines are women.

Other risk factors that can contribute directly to instances of regular migraines or consistent migraines include (but certainly aren’t limited to):

• Central nervous system disorders or conditions that may impact the way the brain communicates with the rest of the body • Blood irregularities or diseases that can cripple the brain from the inside out, either starving it of the food and fuel it needs or poisoning it through the brain/blood barrier • Hormonal and genetic predispositions that make individuals more likely to have to deal with migraines because of their DNA and genetics • Abnormalities of the brain or the way that it communicates with the rest of the body through the central nervous system and neural pathways • Serious trauma that can be linked to everyday life, accidents, or other genetic predispositions • Unhealthy diet and exercise habits that increase biochemicals that contribute to migraine symptoms • Not getting enough rest each and every single night, or not getting enough high quality sleep on a nightly basis • Overexposure to extreme light, sound, and smell can contribute directly to increased instances of migraines

… And that’s just the tip of the iceberg!

Even though modern science and medicine has come a long way towards understanding how the brain works and how it interacts with the rest of the human body, the truth of the matter is, we know more about the activities of the moment than we do about our own brains!

Millions of researchers all over the world are hoping to change that fact, and are conducting billions and billions of dollars’ worth of research every year to try and come up with new answers, new discoveries, and new solutions that will eliminate these problems in the near future.

Every day, we get closer to better understanding the root cause of regular migraines, why they exist in the first place, and what we can do to avoid these serious debilitating conditions from here on out.

Hopefully, the answers to these questions (and more), present themselves sooner rather than later!

Can cluster migraines be cured?

As of now, it is impossible to cure completely chronic or cluster headaches brought on by migraines.

That’s not to say that there aren’t a variety of different solutions out there that can help you immediately lessen the symptoms of these headaches and even a number of solutions that can help you to present yourself from dealing with these problems – just that there isn’t yet the “cure-all” that really eredicate this problem from your life for good.

Scientists and researchers are working on exactly that kind of solution today (and they’ll likely be working on it tomorrow and for however long it takes until it is established), and it may not be all that long until we are finally able to eradicate the potential for migraines to exist entirely.

Is there anything that can be done to prevent regular migraines from occurring?

You had better believe there are things that you can do to prevent migraines from occurring in the first place!

One of the most effective (and inexpensive) things you can do to lessen your chances of dealing with regular migraines is to clean up your diet and exercise habits and really subscribe to a lifestyle focused on your health.

By making smarter choices about the food and drink you fuel your body with, you’ll be able to starve your body of all the necessary biochemicals and trigger points needed to create migraines in the first place.

On top of that, regular exercise allows you to shake off any rust and avoid “chokepoints” from establishing themselves along your neural pathways – and there is a whole mountain of other health benefits you’ll enjoy just by subscribing to a healthier lifestyle going forward!

Secondly, you’ll want to do absolutely everything in your power to improve the quality of sleep you get each and every single night.

There’s a world of difference between tossing and turning in your sleep every night for eight hours and getting six hours of perfectly restful and relaxing sleep – and you should always (ALWAYS) strive to get the best quality sleep you can in whatever quantity available.

Lastly, it’s a good idea to do everything possible to eliminate as much stress and pressure from your life as you can. Obviously, as human beings, we are going to be presented with challenges on and almost daily basis, but finding new ways to meet those challenges without causing stress and pressure to build up (or break you down) will hopefully prevent you from having to deal with regular migraines from here on out.

Closing thoughts

At the end of the day, it’s important to understand that there is a tremendous amount of research out there focusing on how to prevent, cure, and eliminate migraine headaches from the human experience.

Unfortunately, we are yet to stumble across the answers we need to create these kinds of “cure-all” solutions – but that doesn’t mean that you need to resign yourself to a life of regular migraine headaches.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Take advantage of the inside information outlined above, and also everything you can to limit the amount of stress and pressure you deal with a regular basis. Take a trip, have a vacation, take up yoga, or regularly meditate – or even steal naps throughout the day! – just whatever you have to do to make your life a bit easier and to get rid of migraine headaches forever!

If you feel like your regular migraine headaches are negatively impacting your lifestyle, or that they may be closely linked to more serious underlying medical issues, do not hesitate to reach out and accept professional medical assistance.

Speak with your regular doctor or seek out emergency medical assistance if these migraines become more than you can handle alone.